Various modalities of solar energy conversion are known in the art. It is known, for example, to employ photovoltaic junctions in favor of converting sunlight directly into electricity. It is also known to convert sunlight into heat and to then utilize that heat to generate electricity.
That such approaches are known, however, is not a panacea in and of itself. Various implementation and operating problems arise with each such modality of solar energy conversion. Conversion efficiency, for example, varies amongst different modalities with many posited modalities performing quite poorly and none achieving high conversion efficiency. Those relative conversion efficiencies, in turn, quite directly impact the return on investment an enterprise can expect to receive for pursuing a given solar energy conversion system.
Dispatchability is another such example. Dispatchability refers to an ability to contribute electricity to a distribution grid at times of need. Since solar energy conversion requires the presence of the sun, converting solar energy into electricity cannot occur at night in the absence of an energy-storage mechanism. Energy storage can give rise to new concerns, however. Using batteries on a large scale for energy storage, for example, is relatively expensive in a variety of ways.
Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.